[Excel VBA] How to Move to and Select Cell Ranges on Non-Active Sheets | Using Application.GoTo

2025年12月27日

Introduction

In Excel VBA, it is common to encounter situations where you need to move to or select a cell range located on a different sheet.

However, since Range(...).Select can only be used on the currently active sheet, attempting to select a range across different sheets will result in an error.

In this article, I will explain how to reliably move to a cell on a non-active sheet by utilizing the Application.GoTo method.

Incorrect Example: Direct .Select Fails

Worksheets("InputSheet").Range("C3:F12").Select  '← Fails if the sheet is not active

If you use .Select while “InputSheet” is not the active sheet, a runtime error will occur.

Correct Method: Using Application.GoTo to Move

Application.GoTo Worksheets("InputSheet").Range("C3:F12")

Explanation:

Application.GoTo is a method that allows you to move focus to any cell or range regardless of the currently active sheet.
The code above jumps to the range C3:F12 on “InputSheet” and selects it.
The target sheet automatically becomes active, and the specified cell range is selected.

Application: Continuing Processing After Selection

With Worksheets("InputSheet")
    ' Move to the range
    Application.GoTo .Range("C3:F12")
    
    ' Perform subsequent operations (e.g., changing background color)
    .Range("C3:F12").Interior.Color = RGB(255, 255, 200)
End With

By using a With block, you can clearly define subsequent operations, such as applying colors or manipulating values for the specified range.

Important Points and Notes

Point	Description
Avoid .Select	`.Select` results in an error if the target sheet is not active.
GoTo moves focus	`Application.GoTo` enables cell movement across different sheets.
Optional Arguments	By setting the second argument to `Scroll:=True`, you can also control the scroll position.

Example Use Cases

Jumping to an input field on a specific sheet.
Displaying error cells on a different sheet to provide supplementary explanations.
Clearly indicating the starting point of a process between multiple sheets.

Summary

Action	Code Example	Notes
Select cells across sheets	`Application.GoTo Worksheets("SheetName").Range("Range")`	Safely move to any cell.
Incorrect usage (.Select)	`Worksheets(...).Range(...).Select`	Only usable on the active sheet.
Continuing processing	Use `.Range(...).Value` or `.Interior.Color`	Possible to format or set values after moving.